JP2004128690A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a facsimile machine to be attached to an image forming apparatus without increasing the apparatus body in size, and further, to enable a user to easily listen to voice guidance etc. informed from a speaker unit mounted on the facsimile machine. <P>SOLUTION: The facsimile machine 40 for transmitting and receiving information of facsimile communication can be detachably attached on the external surface of the apparatus body 2 so as to be close to an image processing unit in the apparatus body 2, and the speaker unit 41 for playing a voice guidance etc. at the time of using the facsimile machine 40 is attached on the external surface of the facsimile machine 40 so as to protrude from the external surface of the apparatus body 2 when the facsimile machine 40 is attached on the apparatus body 2. This constitution enables the user to easily listen to the voice guidance of transmission/reception of images with respect to the facsimile machine 40 which is informed from the speaker unit 41. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that forms an image by an electrophotographic method or the like, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus having a composite function such as a copying machine, a printer, and a facsimile.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, an image forming apparatus (digital multifunction peripheral) having a multifunction such as a copier, a printer, and a facsimile (fax) has become mainstream.
[0003]
In this type of conventional image forming apparatus, for example, as shown in FIG. 10, a facsimile apparatus 103 capable of transmitting and receiving fax image information can be detachably attached to an image forming apparatus 100 having functions of a copier and a printer. It has been known. The image forming apparatus 100 has an installation space 102 for installing a facsimile apparatus 103 inside the apparatus main body 101 on the back side.
[0004]
Further, in the conventional image forming apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 10, a speaker unit 104 for transmitting / receiving an image to / from the facsimile apparatus 103 and issuing a voice guide is provided on the outer surface side of the facsimile apparatus 103.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, in the conventional image forming apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 10, since the installation space 102 for accommodating the fax device 103 is provided in the apparatus main body 101, there is a problem that the apparatus main body 101 becomes large. In particular, for a user who does not use the fax device 103, the installation space 102 for the fax device 103 in the device main body 101 is completely unnecessary, resulting in wasted space.
[0006]
Further, in the conventional image forming apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 10, when the fax apparatus 103 is mounted in the installation space 102 in the apparatus main body 101, the speaker unit 104 is located on the outer surface side of the installation space 102, Since the facsimile apparatus 103 including the speaker unit 104 is accommodated in the installation space 102, if the image forming apparatus 100 is not in the vicinity of the front of the speaker unit 104 when the image forming apparatus 100 is operating, an image of the facsimile apparatus 103 emitted from the speaker unit 104 is generated. In particular, when there are restrictions on the installation location of the image forming apparatus 100 or the like, there is a case where it is difficult to hear near the front of the speaker unit 104.
[0007]
Therefore, the present invention enables a fax apparatus to be mounted without increasing the size of the apparatus main body, and furthermore, it is possible to satisfactorily listen to the sound emitted from the speaker unit of the fax apparatus without being affected by the installation location of the image forming apparatus 100 and the like. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus capable of performing the following.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus for transferring a developer image carried on an image carrier onto a transfer material to form an image, the image forming apparatus being attached to and detached from an outer surface of an apparatus body. A facsimile device for freely transmitting / receiving fax communication information, and a facsimile device which is disposed on an outer surface of the facsimile device so as to protrude from the outer surface of the device body when the facsimile device is mounted on the facsimile device. And a speaker unit for notifying a voice guide at the time.
[0009]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image carrier, an exposure unit for exposing a charged surface of the image carrier to form an electrostatic latent image, and image information input to the exposure unit. A facsimile apparatus for transmitting and receiving fax communication information, which is detachably mounted on an outer surface of the apparatus main body in an image forming apparatus having at least the signal processing means for performing signal processing for performing exposure according to the image forming apparatus. And a speaker unit that is arranged so as to protrude from the outer surface of the apparatus main body when attached to the apparatus main body on the outer surface of the fax apparatus, and that at least notifies a voice guide when the fax apparatus is used. Wherein the fax device is electrically connected to the signal processing unit via a signal line while the fax device is mounted on an outer surface of the device body. To have.
[0010]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on the illustrated embodiments.
[0011]
FIG. 1 shows an image forming apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention (in the present embodiment, an image forming apparatus (digital multifunction peripheral) having a composite function such as an electrophotographic copying machine, a printer, and a facsimile (fax). FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the back side of the image forming apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The image forming apparatus 1 has a reader unit (image reading unit) 3 on an apparatus main body (printer unit) 2.
[0012]
The apparatus main body (printer unit) 2 is provided with a photosensitive drum 7 as an image carrier that is rotatable in an arrow direction (clockwise direction). Around the photosensitive drum 7, a corona charger (primary charger) 8, a developing device 9, a transfer charger 10, a separation charger 11, and a cleaning device 12 are arranged along the rotation direction. An exposure device (laser exposure optical unit) 6 is disposed above a charger (primary charger) 8 and a developing device 9.
[0013]
As shown in FIG. 3, the apparatus main body 2 has an image processing unit 42 for processing an image signal (image information). The image processing unit 42 includes a document 5 read by the reader unit 3. The image signal (image information) is partially signal-processed by the leader substrate 3 a and input through the signal line A. The image processing unit 42 performs predetermined processing and control on the input image signal (image information), and outputs the image signal to the exposure device 6 via the signal line B. The exposure device 6 converts the image signal into an optical signal at a laser output unit (not shown), and irradiates the photosensitive drum 7 with the laser light L, which is the converted optical signal.
[0014]
Further, the image processing unit 42 is electrically connected via a signal line E to a facsimile device (FAX device) 40 which is detachably mounted on the upper portion of the rear surface 2 a of the device main body 2.
[0015]
Next, an image forming operation by the image forming apparatus 1 will be described.
[0016]
First, in the reader unit 3, the original 5 is set on the original platen glass 4, and when the start button (not shown) is pressed, the original 5 is exposed and scanned by an exposure lamp (not shown). The light (reflected light image) is condensed on a CCD sensor (not shown) by a lens (not shown) to obtain an image signal. This image signal is sent to the apparatus main body (printer unit) 2.
[0017]
The exposure device 6 converts the input image signal into an optical signal at a laser output unit (not shown), and converts the laser light L, which is the converted optical signal, into a polygon mirror (not shown) rotating at high speed and a mirror. (Not shown), the image is projected onto the photosensitive drum 7 rotating in the direction of an arrow (clockwise). At this time, the photosensitive drum 7 is uniformly charged to a negative polarity by a corona charger (primary charger) 8, and is projected onto the photosensitive drum 7 by projection of the laser light L in accordance with image information of a document. An electrostatic latent image is formed.
[0018]
The toner (developer) is applied to the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 7 by the developing sleeve 9a of the developing device 9 to which a developing bias having the same polarity (negative polarity) as the charging polarity of the photosensitive drum 7 is applied. After being adhered, the toner image is subjected to reversal development (visualization) as a toner image.
[0019]
At this time, a transfer material P such as a sheet of a predetermined size loaded in any of the paper feed cassettes 20a to 20d is selected, and separated and fed one by one by one of the pickup rollers 21a to 21d. The sheet is conveyed to the registration roller pair 23 through the conveyance path 22. Then, the registration roller pair 23 conveys the transfer material P to a transfer portion between the photosensitive drum 7 and the transfer charger 10 in synchronization with the formation of the toner image.
[0020]
Then, the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 7 is transferred to the transfer material P by the transfer charger 10 to which a transfer bias is applied. After that, the transfer material P to which the toner image has been transferred is separated from the photosensitive drum 7 by the separation charger 11, guided by the transport guide 24, and transported to the fixing device 25. The fixing device 25 includes a fixing roller 25a having a built-in heater (not shown) and a pressure roller 25b, and a fixing nip portion between the fixing roller 25a and the pressure roller 25b to transfer the transfer material P on which the toner image has been transferred. And heat and pressure are applied to the transfer material P passing therethrough to fix the transferred toner image.
[0021]
In the case of single-sided image formation (single-sided copy), the transfer material P having the toner image fixed on one side is transported by a discharge roller pair 27 through a discharge roller pair 26 and a transport path switching guide 29, and is discharged by a discharge tray 28. Discharge to
[0022]
In the case of double-sided image formation (double-sided copy), the transfer material P having the toner image fixed on one side is transported to the double-sided transport section 31 via the transport vertical path 30 by driving the transport path switching guide 29. . Then, after the transfer material P is conveyed again to the registration roller pair 23 by rotation of the re-feed roller 32 and the like, an image is formed on the back surface of the transfer material P in the same manner as described above, and the transfer tray 28 To be discharged.
[0023]
The transfer residual toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 7 after the transfer is removed by the cleaning device 12 to prepare for the next image forming operation.
[0024]
As shown in FIG. 2, in the image forming apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, a facsimile apparatus (FAX apparatus) 40 is detachably mounted on the upper part of the back surface 2a of the apparatus main body 2 by a fastening member (not shown). Can be attached to Therefore, in the conventional image forming apparatus 100 in which the facsimile apparatus 103 shown in FIG. 10 is mounted in the installation space 102 in the apparatus main body 101, the depth dimension of the apparatus main body 101 is large as D ′, but the facsimile apparatus 40 is In the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, which can be detachably attached to the back surface 2a of the apparatus 2, the depth of the apparatus main body 2 can be reduced to D (<D ').
[0025]
A speaker unit 41 is connected to one side of the fax device 40 according to the present embodiment. The speaker unit 41 outputs a voice guide and a transmission / reception sound when the fax device 40 is used.
[0026]
As shown in FIG. 3, the fax device 40 attached to the upper part of the back of the apparatus main body (not shown) is arranged near the image processing unit 42 arranged on the back side inside the apparatus main body (not shown). By attaching the fax machine 40 to the back of the main body, the fax machine 40 is electrically connected to the image processing unit 42 via the signal line E.
[0027]
That is, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, when the fax device 40 is attached to the upper portion of the rear surface 2 a of the device main body 2, when external image information is received by the fax device 40 via the signal line C, the fax The information processing is performed by the device 40 and transferred to the image processing unit 42 via the signal line E to perform image processing. The image processing unit 42 performs predetermined processing and control and outputs the result to the exposure device 6 via the signal line B. The exposure device 6 converts the image signal into an optical signal at a laser output unit (not shown), and irradiates the laser beam L, which is the converted optical signal, onto the photosensitive drum 7 to form an electrostatic latent image. . Thereafter, the development step, the transfer step, and the fixing step are performed in the same manner as described above, and the received image is output.
[0028]
When a document image is transmitted from the fax device 40 to the outside, image information of the document read by the reader unit 3 is partially image-processed by the reader substrate 3a and transferred to the image processing unit 42 via the signal line A. I do. Then, the information processed and controlled by the image processing unit 42 is transferred to the fax device 40 via the signal line E, the image information is processed by the fax device 40, and the document image is output to the outside via the signal line C. I do.
[0029]
As shown in FIG. 4, the facsimile device 40 has an image processing board 40b installed inside a shield cover 40a made of sheet metal. In addition to the signal lines C and E, a power supply line is provided. F, G, etc. are wired.
[0030]
As described above, in the present embodiment, the facsimile device 40 is attached to the upper portion of the rear surface 2a of the apparatus main body 2 so as to be located near the image processing section 42 arranged in the apparatus main body 2, and the image processing section 42 and the facsimile Since the length of the signal line E between the devices 40 can be shortened, the signal lines E are less susceptible to electric noise generated in the device main body 2 and image information can be transmitted and received stably.
[0031]
Further, in this embodiment, the fax device 40 can be detachably attached to the upper portion of the rear surface 2a of the device main body 2 only when the fax device 40 is necessary. The installation space of the apparatus main body 2 can be reduced when it is present.
[0032]
Further, in the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, when the fax device 40 is mounted on the device main body 2, the speaker unit 41 of the fax device 40 It is arranged so as to protrude from the side. 6 and 7, the speaker unit 41 is rotatably attached to the fax device 40 in the direction of arrow a.
[0033]
Thus, even when the image forming apparatus 1 is operating, the speaker unit 41 is oriented in a direction that is easy for the user to hear, so that the transmission / reception of an image to / from the fax device 40 emitted from the speaker unit 41 and the voice guidance are reliably heard. be able to.
[0034]
Further, in the image forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the fax device 40 is detachably attached to the upper part of the rear surface 2 a of the apparatus main body 2 so that the speaker unit 41 is located at the upper part. You can also. Also in this case, when the fax device 40 is mounted on the device main body 2, the speaker unit 41 of the fax device 40 projects from the side surface of the device main body 2.
[0035]
FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view showing a modification of the embodiment of the present invention.
[0036]
In the image forming apparatus 1 according to this modification, when the fax device 40 is not used, the detachable upper cover 43 is attached to the upper portion of the rear surface 2a of the device main body 2, and the fax device 40 is not attached. When the fax device 40 is used, the upper cover 43 attached to the rear surface 2a of the device main body 2 is removed with a fastening member (not shown), and the fax device attachment cover in which the fax device 40 is attached to the convex portion 45a. 45 is detachably attached to the upper portion of the rear surface 2a of the apparatus main body 2 by a fastening member (not shown). The fax device 40 attached to the upper part of the back surface 2a of the apparatus main body 2 is disposed near the image processing unit 42 disposed in the apparatus main body 2. When the fax device mounting cover 45 having the fax device 40 is attached to the device main body 2, the speaker unit 41 of the fax device 40 projects from the side surface of the device main body 2.
[0037]
Also in the case of this modification, the fax device mounting cover 45 in which the fax device 40 is mounted on the convex portion 45a can be attached to the upper portion of the rear surface 2a of the device main body 2 only when the fax device 40 is required. For a user who does not need the fax machine 40, the installation space of the machine body 2 when the fax machine 40 is removed can be reduced.
[0038]
Further, since the length of the signal line between the image processing unit 42 and the facsimile device 40 can be shortened, it is less susceptible to the electric noise generated in the device main body 2 and the image information can be transmitted and received stably. Can be.
[0039]
In addition, even when the image forming apparatus 1 is operating, the speaker unit 41 is oriented in a direction that is easy for the user to listen to, so that it is possible to reliably transmit and receive an image to and from the facsimile apparatus 40 emitted from the speaker unit 41 and to listen to voice guidance. Can be.
[0040]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, when the fax machine is used, the fax machine is mounted on the outer surface of the fax machine detachably attached to the outer surface of the fax machine so as to protrude from the outer surface of the fax machine when the fax machine is mounted on the fax machine. By arranging the speaker unit for notifying the voice guide and the like in the above, it becomes easy to hear the transmission and reception of the image and the voice guidance to and from the fax device notified from the speaker unit.
[0041]
Further, according to the present invention, when the fax device is not needed, the fax device can be detached from the device main body. Therefore, for a user who does not need the fax device, the user can remove the fax device from the device main body when the fax device is removed. Installation space can be reduced.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing an image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a flow of image information of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing signal lines connected to the fax machine.
FIG. 5 is a schematic front view showing the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a speaker unit connected to the fax machine.
FIG. 7 is an exemplary perspective view showing a speaker unit connected to the fax machine;
FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which a fax device having a speaker unit is mounted on the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which a fax device is mounted on an image forming apparatus according to a modification of the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which a fax device is mounted on an image forming apparatus in a conventional example.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 2 Apparatus main body 3 Leader part 6 Exposure apparatus 7 Photosensitive drum (image carrier)
Reference Signs List 8 corona charger 9 developing device 10 transfer charger 11 separation charger 12 cleaning device 25 fixing device 25a fixing roller 25b pressure roller 40 fax device 41 speaker unit 42 image processing unit (signal processing means)
45 Fax machine mounting cover (exterior cover)

Claims (7)

In an image forming apparatus that forms an image by transferring a developer image carried on an image carrier onto a transfer material,
A fax device that is detachably attached to the outer surface of the device main body and that transmits and receives fax communication information;
A speaker unit is provided so as to protrude from the outer surface of the apparatus main body when attached to the apparatus main body on the outer surface of the fax apparatus, and at least notifies a voice guide when using the fax apparatus.
An image forming apparatus comprising: The speaker unit is rotatably disposed on an outer surface of the fax machine.
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The fax machine was integrally provided on an outer cover detachably attached to the back of the machine body,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: An image carrier, an exposure unit that exposes the charged surface of the image carrier to form an electrostatic latent image, and performs signal processing to perform exposure corresponding to image information input to the exposure unit. In an image forming apparatus provided with at least a signal processing unit in the apparatus main body,
A fax device that is removably mounted on the outer surface of the device main body and that transmits and receives information of fax communication;
A speaker unit is provided so as to protrude from the outer surface of the fax machine when mounted on the outer surface of the fax machine on the outer surface of the fax machine, and at least notifies a voice guide when using the fax machine.
In a state where the fax device is mounted on the outer surface of the device main body, the fax device is electrically connected to the signal processing unit via a signal line.
An image forming apparatus comprising: The signal processing means is provided on the back side in the apparatus main body, and the fax machine is detachably mounted on the back of the apparatus main body so as to be close to the signal processing means.
The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein: The fax machine was integrally provided on an outer cover detachably attached to the back of the machine body,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein: The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the speaker unit is rotatably disposed on an outer surface of the fax machine.

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